School districts across North Texas are scrambling again after getting new guidance from the Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Paxton said Tuesday that local health departments can't order schools to delay opening, something many districts have done because local health departments said it is not safe for students to return to class yet.
Now, school districts like Argyle, Eagle Mountain/Saginaw, Keller and Sunnyvale are changing their plans again.
Local districts have had to consider what the governor, health departments, the TEA and parents want to see this school year in the middle of a pandemic.
It's a game of ping-pong that has so many frustrated with what to do next.
“We've got model A, we've got model B, but at some point, we've got to decide what path we're going to go forward,” said Sunnyvale ISD Superintendent Doug Williams.
Health orders in Dallas County said schools should stay online until September 8th, and in Tarrant County, until September 28.
Tuesday’s guidance suggests the orders are illegal.
Williams said schools need clear direction.
“It's a little bit of a political tug-of-war in my opinion, and we're kind of the rope so-to-speak,” said Williams.
As a result of Paxton's guidance, the Argyle and Eagle Mountain/Saginaw school districts announced Tuesday they will offer classes in-person and online next month.
Keller ISD also announced that classes with start both virtually and in-person on August 19. The final decision is up to the Board of Trustees. A special meeting will be held on Monday, August 3, to discuss the change.
Meanwhile, in McKinney, parents rallied Tuesday outside district offices asking administrators to reconsider reopening.
Serena Ashcroft has three kids in the district.
“We cannot deal in ‘what if, what if, what if, what if,’ we have to deal in reality that our kids are being affected by this in a very negative way,” said Ashcroft.
McKinney is one of many districts that originally planned for in-person and virtual learning to start the school year.
Earlier this month, it announced its offering virtual classes only for the first three weeks.
“The majority of parents and kids want to go back to school. The kids want to go back to school and they're not being allowed to. Their choice is being taken away from them,” said Miller.
McKinney ISD tells NBC 5, “One of the primary reasons for delaying in-person instruction was to reduce the possibility of a lengthier closure this fall by opening schools at a time when COVID cases were peaking in the area. Despite the fact that some students may pose less risk or vulnerability to the virus, the decision was also made based upon the health and well-being of McKinney ISD teachers, students' families, and in an effort to mitigate the spread of the virus in our community.”
*Map locations are approximate, central locations for the city and are not meant to indicate where actual infected people live.
**County totals below include all 32 North Texas counties, not just Collin, Dallas, Denton and Tarrant.
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July 29, 2020 at 02:04PM
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School Districts Change Course After New Guidance From AG Paxton - NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth
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